FOILed

Cathie Black. (Photo: Wikimedia)

Cathie Black Emails Released

Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration suffered a blow today with the release of emails surrounding the selection process of Cathie Black, the one-time schools chancellor who was forced to resign in 2011, after just 95 days in office. Ms. Black, who had no prior educational experience, drew widespread controversy amid a number of missteps. The city fought an extended, unsuccessful legal battle to keep the emails from being subject to a Freedom of Information Law request.

Overall, they detail the city’s public relations efforts to improve Ms. Black’s brand, including outreach to leading female figures like Caroline Kennedy for support. Additionally, the emails reveal debates over how much information about Ms. Black should be provided to reporters. Read More

Law & Order

Occupy Wall Street protesters marching in Manhattan in October. (Photo: Getty)

Protesters and Advocacy Groups Demand Information On NYPD’s Handling Of Occupy Wall Street

A coalition of Occupy Wall Street protesters and attorneys for civil rights organizations filed a Freedom of Information Law requesttoday asking the NYPD to reveal “all information concerning the policies guiding the law enforcement response to Occupy demonstrations since last September.” The FOIL request is part of efforts to investigate the government response to Read More

suggested reading

Council Speaker Quinn, Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly. (photo credit: azi paybarah / observer)

Morning Read: Cuomo Hedges on Obama, Lupica Endorses Kelly

2012: “Cuomo may already be holding back full-fledged support for Obama.” [Fred Dicker / NY Post]

2013: See where mayoral candidates get their money. [Colby Hamilton and John Keefe / WNYC]

2013: “No city police commissioner has ever gone on to be mayor. Kelly ought to be the first, especially when you look at those lining up already to succeed Michael Bloomberg…Kelly has given no indication that he’s planning to run, people who care about the city should be telling him to think about it, starting right now.” [Mike Lupica / Daily News]

NY-9: Silver refutes Koch’s call to elect a Republican to register displeasure with Obama. [Ken Lovett / Daily News]

School Deal: “Ms. Quinn, who had established herself as a close ally of the mayor during her five years as speaker, ultimately decided to break ranks with Mr. Bloomberg.” [Javier Hernandez / New York Times]

Same-Sex Marriage: Preparing to teach it in school. [Carl Campanile / NY Post]

Transparency: How transparent should Cuomo and Sandra Lee, be? [Jay Jochnowitz / Times Union]

Transparency: “Bloomberg spokesman Marc LaVorgna called the administration ‘the most transparent in the city’s history.’” NYC agencies, not so much. [Erik Ortiz / amNew York]

Wal-Mart: Maybe opening a store in Brooklyn, with J.C. Penney. [Eliot Brown and Joseph de Avila / WSJ]

Taxis: “Mr. Cuomo’s father, the former governor Mario M. Cuomo, serves on the board of Medallion Financial, which has a major stake in many of the city’s taxis and has opposed the bill.” [Christine Haughney / New York Times]

Taxes: Editors urge Cuomo to veto “stealth tax.” [NY Post]

Subway: 930 panhandlers arrested so far this year; 76% increase compared to 3 years ago. [Pete Donohue / Daily News]

Rep. Buerkle: Loses chief of staff; unsure if he’ll work on 2012 campaign. [Mark Weiner / Post-Standard]

What’s wrong with Niagara: “Democratic Party has sunk to its lowest ebb ever in Niagara County — even though it is by far the largest party in the county.” [Thomas Prohaska / Buffalo News]